Oscars 2009: Kate Winslet and Danny Boyle sweep awards

Danny Boyle has picked up the coveted best director and best picture Oscars
for his rags-to-riches tale Slumdog Millionaire and Kate Winslet has won
best actress in a night of triumph for British filmmakers.

"I think we all can't believe we are in the category with Meryl Streep at all," Winslet said.

Winslet was giddy and emotional as she accepted her trophy.

"I'd be lying if I haven't made a version of this speech before," she said. "I think I was probably 8 years old and staring into the bathroom mirror and this (Oscar) would be a shampoo bottle. But it's not a shampoo bottle now."

She thanked her husband, director Sam Mendes, and their two children. And she also thanked her father, saying, "Dad, whistle or something 'cause then I'll know where you are." He whistled back from his seat at the Kodak Theatre.

"You just don't think that these dreams that seem so silly and so impossible could ever really come true," Winslet said backstage.

The British winning streak started when Boyle, 52, bounded on to the stage to accept his first Oscar, telling the audience he had long ago promised his children that "if this miracle ever happened" he would receive in the spirit of Tigger from Winnie the Pooh.

He thanked the Academy for being "so generous to us this evening", and praised this year's Oscar broadcast as "a beautiful show" and "bloody wonderful".

The director, who had never been nominated for an Oscar before, is known for directing a number of low-budget, cult films including Trainspotting, Shallow Grave and 28 Days Later.

The win made the director the first British recipient of the best director Oscar since Sam Mendes was honored in 2000 for American Beauty.

Boyle beat fellow Briton Stephen Daldry (The Reader) as well as David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Gus Van Sant (Milk) and Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon) to win the award.

Earlier the film picked up six Oscars including technical awards for film editing and sound mixing as well as Oscars for best original score and best song. It went on to win best picture.

Other winners included Penelope Cruz for best supporting actress, Heath Ledger for best supporting actor and Sean Penn for best actor.